Grad School vs. the Working World: Should I Continue My Education or Start Working?

Now that it’s April, and seniors everywhere are looking forward to graduation and beyond, the question, “should I go to graduate school or find a job right out of college,” is probably floating around in a lot of minds. The answer, as it is for every important, life-altering decision, is: it depends. Luckily, there’s this neat thing called the Internet, where people can find answers to all of their questions!

Here is an article on the topic from gradschools.com, one of many graduate school/graduate program directories on the Internet.

To Enter Grad School or the Working World? That is the (Tough) Question
So, you have completed your undergraduate education. Now you have a decision to make. Will your next step be to begin your career right out of school, or will you enroll in graduate school to extend your education? To answer this question, you must fully assess your interests, skills and values…

There are a few interesting pros for both decisions mentioned in the article that we haven’t discussed much here:

Pros of Grad School
1. Momentum: If you decide to get a job out of college, it may be difficult to tear yourself away later down the road to return to school.
2. Networking: Graduate school is a good way to network with some of the top minds in your field. Additionally, you get to learn about cutting-edge research and interact with those riding on the crests of their fields. You never know when who you know might help you out.

Pros of Working
1. Money: Grad school might be expensive for those who can’t get financial aid or assistantships. Spending a few years working and saving can prevent you from having to deal with debt later in life.
2. Time: Graduate school is a time for intense focus on a single topic. Not everyone comes out of college knowing exactly what it is that interests them most. Working in the world for a few years can help you figure out what you are interested in.